Coat shoulder form and method of attaching shoulder portions of linings to a coat



Nov. 19, 1940. puRvEs 2,222,120

COAT SHOULDER FORM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING SHOULDER PORTIONS OF LININGSTO A COAT Filed March 23, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' I -%z'5 ATTORNEY.

Nov. 19, 1940. c. PURVES 2,222,120

COAT SHOULDER FORM AND METHOD OF ATTAGHING SHOULDER PORTIONS OF LININGSTO A COAT Filed March 23, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1's ATTORNEY.

Nov. 19,, 1940. c pu v s 2,222,120

COAT SHOULDER FORM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING SHOULDER PORTIONS 0F LININGSTO A COAT Filed March 23, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 'INVENTOR.

COAT SHOULDER FdRM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING SHOULDER PORTIONS OF LININGSTO A COAT Filed Marqh 25, 1939 6 Sheets$heet 4:

Nov 19, 1940. c PuRvEs 2,222,120-

@wgeamraes 44:45 A'ITORNEY.

v c. 'PURVES 2,222,120 SHOULDER FORM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING OULDER Nov.19, 1940.

PORTIONS 0F LININGS TO A COAT Filed March 23, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR. CfiQarksfuruaa %'zi$ ATTORNEY.

Nov. 19, 1940. C PURVES 2,222,120 I COAT SHOULDER FORM AND METHOD OFATTACHING SHOULDER PORTIONS OF LININGS TO A COAT Filed March 23, 1939 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECharles Purves, Rochester, N. Y.

Application March 23, 1939, Serial No. 263,713

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a coat shoulder form and method of attachingshoulder lining portions to a coat in such a way as to assure the coatfitting smoothly around and over the shoulder,

shoulder blade, upper arm, and front part of the body just below theshoulder and adjacent the arm pit, affording sufficient fullness in thelining at these portions to prevent drawing, wrinkling or stretching ofthe outer fabric of the garment particularly along the shoulder seam andover the shoulder between the neck portion and the sleeve of thegarment.

The customary practice in making a coat has been for the operator tohold on one hand the assembled coat front and back, with the liningportions attached to the lower parts of the coat body, and the liningportions underneath against the operators hand and the outer coat fabricon top, manipulating the underneath lining portions as best he can,until they are properly positioned with respect to the outer fabric, andat the same time working or smoothing the outer fabric until it isthought to be properly located, and then baste these parts together bystitches extending first through the outer fabric and thence through thelining portions, but this process frequently results in undue stretchingof the lining portions or insuflicient lining material for a givenextent of the outer fabric, so that when the garment is completed, thestretched lining pulls the outer fabric, causing it to wrinkle andpreventing its conforming smoothly to the shoulder of the wearer.

The principal objective of the invention is to overcome these defects inthe making of a coat, and to enable manufacturing coats economically andspeedily, in such manner that the outer fabric fits smoothly and closelyover the shoulder, conforming to the depression at the forepart of theshoulder, and without binding or pulling over the shoulder blade oraround the upper portion of the body adjacent to the arm, and withoutlack of proper fullness in the lining portions extending over theshoulder.

A further purpose is to accomplish these ends with a suitable shoulderform, generally convex from front to back, by positioning the coatstructure over the form with the inside out, that is, with the outerfabric of the coat resting against and conforming closely to the formand with the lining materials on top or exposed during the bastingoperation, which is accomplished after the lining portions have beenlaid over the shoulder form and outer fabric in a natural way, bybasting first through the superposed lining por tions and thence throughthe outer fabric located therebeneath.

By proceeding in this fashion, the lining materials being convexlycurved over the outer fabric and form while the outer fabric is smoothlydraped over the shoulder form, the lining materials follow a somewhatlarger curve than the outer fabric, and this eliminates any possibilityof the lining being unduly stretched or having insufficient fullnesswith relation to the outer fabric, and also makes it possible to securethe lining materials to the outer fabric along lines adjacent to theneck portion, the arm hole, and along the shoulder seam, leaving thelining otherwise unattached and free so that suitable fullness andproper fit of the outer fabric is assured.

It is also a purpose of the invention to afford a coat shoulder formhaving the necessary contours to conform to an average shoulder and toshape coats of different sizes, with such exaggerations at suitablepoints to take care of the particular areas where tightness or wrinklingfrequently occurs after the lining is secured to the coat fabric.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a practicalmechanism that enables an operator to secure the lining and outer fabricportions of a coat together in the manner indicated, quickly andefiiciently, permitting either elevating, lowering, or turning the formwith the garment thereon while holding it with sunficient firmness inany selected position to prevent accidental movement and permit therequired operations by the garment maker.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the procedure,construction, and arrangement of parts that will appear from thefollowing description when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing one successful embodiment of ashoulder form constituting the invention, with a coat draped and clampedthereon in position to have the shoulder lining portions basted to theouter fabric, and illustrating the front lining portion loose from theupper part of the coat front before being positioned over the latter forbasting, the form being illustrated in its lowermost position;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective of a suitable spring clamp employed forholding a coat on the form;

Fig, 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the coat structureon the form and with the shoulder portions of the linings loose andunattached previously to being laid over the outer fabric and bastedthereto;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the lower parts broken away,and showing the shoulder lining portions after being basted to the outerfabric of the coat;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 after the shoulder lining portionsare basted to the outer fabric of the coat;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the coat after the basting operations arecompleted, the coat appearing right side out, with the lining on theinside;

Fig. 7 is a front view of the shoulder form and supporting pedestal:

Fig. 8 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 9 is an end View of the shoulder form, with the pedestal brokenaway, looking in the opposite direction from Fig. 8, and showing theadjustable extension in its uppermost position;

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the adjustable eXtension in itslowermost position;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the shoulder form, looking inthe direction indicated on the line II-II of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the shoulder form;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view of the shoulder form, looking inthe direction indicated on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 14 is a rear elevation of the shoulder form, with the adjustableextension in lowermost position;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view through the lower part .of thepedestal;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally of the pedestal,with the pillar in uppermost position;

Fig. 1'7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line I'I'--I'I of Fig.16;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal sectional view on the line I8I8 of Fig. 16, and

Fig. 19 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken centrally of thepedestal, showing the nonmetallic bearings for the vertically androtatably adjustable form supporting pillar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like referencenumerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, theshoulder form is of such a contour as to fit properly within and shapeone shoulder portion of a coat while the other shoulder portion ismaintained and supported loosely over a suitable extension or arm, itbeing understood that there will be provided both right and left formswhich are used successively in constructing a garment, one form beingemployed in shaping and basting lining portions to the shoulder portionon one side of the garment and the other form being employed for shapingand basting lining portions to the shoulder portion on the other side ofthe garment.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive, which disclose the construction ofthe form itself, the invention includes a shoulder form including a bodyportion I, see Figs. 8 and 13, that is of a generally rectangular shapein cross-section, and that is generally of convex curvature over the topfrom front to back, as indicated at 2 in Figs. 8 and 11, while 3designates the upwardly extending neck portion of the form at one end,termihating in the flat vertical wall 4 for a purpose that will appearpresently.

The top surface of the body portion of the form is gradually curvedalong a slightly concave line as indicated at 5, from the neck portion 3to the outer end of the form, said outer end having a verticallyextending rounded protuberance indicated at 6 at the upper part of theouter end of the form, corresponding to the forwardly projectingextremity of the shoulder bone, and the front part of the form isprovided with a transversely concaved depression or dished portionadjacent to said protuberance 6, as indicated at I, said concavedepression I corresponding to the hollow portion generally found in thefront of the shoulder of the human body between the arm and neck, andlocated slightly inwardly of the forwardly projecting shoulder bonerepresented by the vertical protuberance 6.

Immediately below the concave depression or dished portion I, the formon the front side is provided with a convex portion 8 corresponding tothe enlargement usually found in the human body adjacent to the arm pitand at the outer limit of the breast, while 9 designates a convexlyrounded enlargement at the rear of the form simulating the shoulderblade.

The several curved portions 6, I, 8 and 9 are sufficiently exaggeratedin their relation to the other curves of the form so that when the outerfabric of the coat is laid over these portions smoothly and closely andthe lining attached thereto, ample fullness will be afforded in theouter fabric of the garment, and it will not be drawn or stretched byits attachment to the lining, particularly over the shoulder blade, thefront portion of the shoulder bone, the hollow in the front of theshoulder, and the enlargement beneath. These are the points wheredifficulty is frequently experienced in properly fitting a garment, andbusheling is often required in order to remove the effects caused by theimproper attachment of the lining materials, all of which is overcome bya shoulder form shaped as described above when the lining materials areattached in the manner that will be presently set forth.

During the supporting of one shoulder portion of a coat on the form, theopposite shoulder must be maintained in suitable and proper position topermit draping the first mentioned shoulder portion properly over theform, and this is accomplished by the following construction.

Adjacent to the aforementioned vertical flat surface 4 at one end of theform, the back wall of the form is vertically inclined as indicated atII, and. mounted on the wall 4 is a lateral extension or arm I2, theback surface I3 of which is a continuation of the back surface of thebody portion of the form and is vertically inclined to coincide with theaforementioned surface II. The extension I2 is vertically adjustablealong a line parallel to said surface II, and to effect this, theextension or projecting portion I2 is carried by a suitable bracket I4having a slot I5 which slidably engages a fixed metal guide I6 carriedby the wall 4 and acting to limit the upward or downward adjustment ofthe extension I2.

The guide member I6 also carries a post I! which is engaged by a wingnut it that is operated to secure the extension I2 in its adjustedposition, depending upon the size of the garment that is being operatedupon. The uppermost position of the extension is illustrated in Fig. 9suitable for the largest size coat, while the lowe most position isillustrated in Fig. 10, for operation on a minimum size coat. The bodyportion of the form and the extension I2 may be constructed of wood,papier-mach, or any other suitable material, and I have found that woodis quite satisfactory for the purpose.

The garment is clamped on the form, after being properly positioned, bymeans of a U-shaped spring clamp shown in Fig. 2; and including acentral portion l9 that extends across the end or vertical wall of theform and spring arms 20 that.

embrace the front and back surfaces of the body portion and hold thefront and back of the garment firmly against the form to permit theoperator to execute the necessary basting operations without having tomanipulate or pay attention to the position of the garment while sodoing. Fig. 1 shows a garment positioned on the form, the lateralextension or arm portion l2 being illustrated as adjusted beneath itsextreme uppermost position so as properly to support the loose andunshaped shoulder portion of the garment while the shoulder portionoperated on is properly positioned over the form.

The operation constituting a part of the subject matter of thisinvention is performed on a coat structure consisting of the coat frontand back portions secured together with the sleeves, the neck portion,facings, and lining portions being attached to the outer fabric of thecoat but with the lining portions unattached at the shoulder portions ofthe garment and around the arm hole, and it is the function of theshoulder form just described to support the coat so as to enable theoperator to baste the shoulder lining portions to the outer fabric ofthe garment in a manner that will save time and afford a better fittinggarment than with the processes heretofore practiced.

The operator proceeds by first turning the garment inside out so thatthe outer fabric is on the inside and the lining portions on the outsideduring the basting operation referred to. With the coat thus reversedand the sleeve on the inside, the shoulder portion to be operated on islaid over the form in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where Mdesignates the reversed outer fabric of the garment, designates thesleeve extending inside, 23 designates the front lining and canvasportion having attached thereto a shoulder pad 24, and 25 designates theyoke lining portion, these portions being shown loose and hanging downat the front and back of the garment in the position they assume beforebeing attached.

The operator first positions the outer fabric 2! so that it liessmoothly and properly over the form with the shoulder seam 26 locatedapproximately at the center of the top of the form, see Fig. 3, and thesleeve seam 21 just inside the out er end of the form, see Fig. 1, theextension l2 being adjusted vertically to permit this positioning of theparts of the garment just referred to and being then clamped in thedesired position, which depends upon the size of the garment and therelation between the sleeve seam Z6 and the neck portion of the form.

After the shoulder portion to be operated upon has been thus properlypositioned and the spring arms 20 of the clamp are engaged with the bodyof the garment as shown in Fig. l. to hold it smoothly overthe form, butwithout stretching of any portion of the outer fabric, the liningportions are laid up over the outer fabric, be-

' ing smoothed over the front and back portions to follow the curvesthereof, and the operator then bastes the lining portions to the outerfabric, first adjacent to the neck portion along the line 28, see Fig.4, then along the shoulder seam as indicated at 29, and then from belowupward ly around the arm hole along the sleeve seam, as indicated at 30.

In this fashion, the lining has ample fullness at all portions over theshoulder, between the neck portion and the sleeve of the garment, overthe shoulder blades, and around the arm hole, so that there is noopportunity for the lining material to be unduly stretched with relationto the outer fabric at any point and thereby cause the outer fabric towrinkle or draw. Since the lining material while being basted lies abovethe fabric of the garment along and over a generally convex curve fromfront to back, ample fullness in the lining is assured, and bypositioning the outer fabric of the garment over the shoulder formwithout stretching it, there is no likelihood of the outer fabric beingstretched along the usually bias shoulder seam 25, as frequently happensin the making of a coat where the outer fabric and lining are bastedtogether while the operator holds the shoulder portions in one hand andworks or stretches the outer fabric, in endeavoring to smooth it, fromthe shoulder portion toward the sleeve seam.

It is desirable that the operator shall be able to elevate, lower, orturn the form with the coat draped thereover readily, to any desiredposition to facilitate the basting operations, and in order toaccomplish this, the form is mounted upon a pillar 35, see Fig. 19, thatis vertically and rotat-- ably adjustable within a suitable pedestal,including a base 36 and a vertical cylindrical housing 31. Preferablythe body portion of the form has fixedly secured to its lower end a postit which is adjustably positionable within a collar 39 by means of theadjusting screw. iii, and the collar 39 is fixed to the upper end of theaforementioned pillar 35 which is vertically movable within thepedestal.

To accomplish this, the lower end of the: pillar 35 carries a swiveledconnection M that is plyotally connected by a link 42 with a normallyhorizontal arm 43, which is carried by the rock shaft 44 pivotallymounted on the base it and also provided with an operating treadle 65which has a stop 46 that limits its downward movement by engagement withthe floor or supporting surface.

The normal upwardly inclined position of the treadle is shown in Fig.'7, with the shoulder form in its lowermost position, and the operator,by depressing the treadle th more or less, elevates the arm 43 from itshorizontal position, likewise the link 42, and causes an upward movementof the pillar 35 and the shoulder form. The particular lever arrangementand linkage shown enables the operator by a slight movement of theoperating treadle to obtain a substantial upand-down movement of theshoulder form suff1- ciently for the necessary vertical adjustments, andthis is facilitated by the provision of counterbalancing meansconsisting of a spring ll connected at its upper end to a fixed post itand at its lower end to a pin 49 carried by the swivel connection M. Thespring M has a tendency to elevate the pillar 35 and the shoulder form,thus counterbalancing the weight of the form so that very little poweror effort is required by the operator for depressing the treadle 45 toelevate the form to the desired position and to hold it in such adjustedposition.

The pillar 35 slides vertically within a sleeve 5F material, the pillar35 being held against rotation relatively to the sleeve 5! by means" ofa suitable key, which in turn is permanently attached to the collar 53to which is secured the cap or cover 54. The parts just described,including the pillar and the shoulder form carried thereby, arerotatable and held frictionally in any desired position to which theoperator may turn the form. To accomplish this, the collar 53 is engagedby two shoes 55 pivoted at 5'6 to the support 51 mounted within thehousing 31, the shoes 55 being provided with frictional engagingsurfaces 53 of suitable fibrous material that engage the outer surfaceof the collar 53. The shoes 55 are actuated toward the collar by meansof springs 59 connecting the shoes, and actuating them with sufficientpressure to hold the pillar against accidental turning but permittingthe operator to rotate it when needed with little effort. By theprovision of the fiber sleeve 5! and the fiber surfaces 53 on the shoes,there are no moving metal parts in contact with each other, and it isunnecessary to provide lubrication for any part of the bearing. A fiberdisk 60 is also provided between the stationary support ST and therotating collar 53.

With this construction, the operator is enabled to hold the form in anyposition of vertical adjustment by means of the treadle t5 and can turnit to any desired position by grasping and moving it in either directionof rotation, the spring actuated shoes 55 serving to hold it in adjustedposition against accidental displacement.

While the invention has been described with reference to a certainspecific structural embodiment, it is not confined to the precisedetails or steps in the method herein set forth, and this application isintended to cover any modifications or departures that may come withinthe intent of the invention or-thescope of the following claims.

I claim 1. The method of attaching shoulder lining portions to a coat,Which consists in clamping one shoulder portion of a coat body reverselyon a form with the outer fabric of the coat body located against theform, said form simulating a single shoulder and the adjacent neck,chest and back portions with exaggerated convex curvatures at theshoulder blade portion and at the forward part of the shoulder boneportion, laying the loose lining portions smoothly over the outer fabricand basting said parts together across the shoulder and around thearmhole by stitching first through the outwardly positioned liningportions and thence through the inwardly positioned coat fabric whilethe latter is clamped on the form,

2. The method of attaching shoulder lining portions to a coat, whichconsists in clamping one shoulder portion of the outer fabric of a coatbody reversely against a generally convex form simulating a singleshoulder and the adjacent neck, chest and back portions, laying theloose lining portions smoothly over the outer fabric while the latter isclamped on the form, and basting the lining portions while in saidsuperposed position to the clamped outer coat fabric across the shoulderportion and around the arm hole.

3. The combination with a coat form simulating a single shoulder and theadjacent neck, chest, and back portions, said form being over theshoulder blade portion and at the front part of the shoulder boneportion and adapted to receive one shoulder portion of a coat body, and

having a vertically inclined back surface adjacent to said neck portion,of an extension located at the inner end of the form and at the backthereof, said extension having a back surface forming a continuation ofsaid first mentioned vertically inclined back surface for supporting theother shoulder portion of a coat body, and means for adjusting saidextension vertically along the lines of said inclined back surfaces tomaintain said other shoulder portion of a coat body while the firstmentioned shoulder portion is clamped over the form.

4. The combination with a coat shoulder form that is generally convexfrom front to back and adapted to receive and shape one shoulder of acoat, of supporting means therefor comprising a pedestal, a pillarvertically and rotatably mounted in the pedestal, a treadle operatedlever at the bottom of the pedestal, a link connecting said lever withthe aforesaid pillar for elevating it, and a counterbalancing springconnected at one end to said pillar and at its other end to a stationarypart of the pedestal and exerting a tendency to overcome the weight ofthe form on the pillar.

5. The combination with a coat shoulder form that is generally convexfrom front to back and adapted to receive and shape one shoulder of acoat, of supporting means therefor comprising a pedestal, a pillarvertically and rotatably mounted in the pedestal, a fiber sleeve withinwhich the pillar is vertically adjustable, and spring actuated fiberbearing portions within which the pillar is rotatably adjustable.

6. The combination with a coat shoulder form that is generally convexfrom front to back and adapted to receive and shape one shoulder of acoat, of supporting means therefor comprising a pedestal, a pillarvertically and rotatably mounted in the pedestal, a fiber sleeve withinwhich the pillar is keyed for vertical movement, a ring to which thesaid sleeve is attached, a pair of spring actuated shoes pivoted withinthe pedestal, and fiber bearing portions carried by said shoes andengaging the aforementioned ring.

7. The combination with a coat shoulder form that is generally convexfrom front to back and adapted to receive one shoulder portion of a coatbody, of operating means therefor comprising a pedestal, a pillarvertically mounted in the pedestal, a horizontal rock shaft at one sideof the pedestal beneath the pillar, a normally horizontal arm fixed tosaid rock shaft and extending beneath the pillar to the other sidethereof, a normally upwardly inclined treadle fixed to said rock shaft,and an upwardly extending link connecting the opposite end of the armand the pillar.

8. The combination with a coat shoulder form that is generally convexfrom front to back and adapted to receive one shoulder portion of a coatbody, of operating means therefor comprising a pedestal, a pillarvertically mounted in the pedestal, a swivel connection permittingrotation of said pillar, a horizontal rock shaft at one side of thepedestal beneath the pillar, a normally horizontal arm fixed to saidrock shaft and extending beneath the pillar to the other side thereof, anormally upwardly inclined treadle fixed to said rock shaft, and anupwardly extending link connecting the opposite end of said arm withsaid swivel connection.

9. A coat form for attaching shoulder lining portions to a coatcomprising a single shoulder portion and the adjacent neck, chest andback portions, said form being convex from front to back and having avertically extending rounded protuberance of vertical convexity locatedat the upper front portion of its outer end, a vertically extendingconcave depression adjacent to said protuberance and a convex shoulderblade portion.

10. A coat form for attaching shoulder lining portions to a coatcomprising a single shoulder portion and the adjacent neck, chest, andback portions, said form being convex from front to back and having avertically extending rounded protuberance of vertical convexity locatedat the upper front portion of its outer end, a vertically extendingconcave depression adjacent to said protuberance, a convex enlargementimmediately beneath said depression and a convex enlargement at theshoulder blade portion.

CHARLES PURVES.

